3 Clever Ways To Organize Your Tupperware
Socks and Tupperware have one thing in common; you start with two items that go together, but in the case of Tupperware, you wind up with a drawer full of lids and containers that don't match. Tupperware has been around for 76 years and has pretty much become the generic word for food storage containers, according to Sage World.
Somehow, our food storage containers just keep accumulating between restaurant take-out containers, food that someone brings over to your house, and trips through stores with adorable little storage containers that you just have to buy. Then, there are the food storage containers that look almost identical but aren't made by the same company. Why can't everyone just play nice and make lids that are interchangeable?! So, when you get fed up with not being able to find a lid to cover the leftovers you just packed, it's time to organize your Tupperware and restore order to your kitchen cabinets.
1. Match up the lids and containers
Before you can start any organizational project, you have to start by decluttering, according to Do It On a Dime. Get rid of any containers that are cracked, warped, or so badly stained that you never want to put food in them again. The good news about Tupperware branded products is that they are all recyclable, so just toss those in your recycling bin.
You're still not ready to organize, though; not until you make sure that every container has a lid that fits properly. If a container doesn't have a matching lid, toss it. There's nothing worse than buying food storage containers that are supposed to keep and store your food airtight, and then having to cover them with tinfoil because you don't have the lid. Not only that, but your cabinets are prime real estate with a limited amount of space. Only store the items that you're going to use.
2. Nest containers one within the other
To maximize your storage space, stack your food storage containers so they fit one within the other, says My Tidy Corner. Consider buying containers of the same shape so you don't end up with a bunch of square, rectangular, and round containers that don't fit together. If you don't have deep kitchen drawers, it may help you keep your cabinets organized if you store food storage containers within a larger bin, even a dishpan. When you need to find the right container, you can easily pull the whole bin out. You can label the outside of the bin to make it easier for everyone to know where everything gets put away.
If you find yourself reusing take-out food containers, you might have to go through your collection from time to time, and reduce the number of containers you keep on hand. Realistically, for the handful of times when you may have a lot of leftovers after feeding a crowd, you can always supplement your plastic storage by putting extra food into ziplock bags.
3. Store lids separately
One of the best ways to store lids from food storage containers is to keep them separate from the containers. That way you can keep similar sizes and shapes together to make them easier to find. There are many different containers designed just for organizing food storage lids, including some that are adjustable to fit the size of your drawer or cabinet. You can also buy wire baskets that hang over the door of your cabinet to add extra storage space.
You can also assemble your own organizer by lining a drawer with a peg board and using dowels to lay out a frame for holding your lids, per Slide House. In a tall cabinet, a plastic, magazine holder works to hold lids, especially tall ones. You can also fit the inside of your drawer with two, tension curtain rods placed a few inches apart to create a standing holder for your lids, according to Organization Obsessed.